Tokyo shares ended trading on Thursday sharply lower with its benchmark Nikkei stocks index declining below the 18,000-mark.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average shed 423.98 points, or 2. 33 percent, from Wednesday to end at 17,767.34, Xinhua news agency reported.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 30.90 points, or 2.08 percent, to 1, 457.94.
The turnover was about 2,833.8 billion yen (about $24.02 billion).
